I lived in Florida for a few years and going to Seattle to kitesurf for a few months from end of May to September. Never had the need for a wetsuit before, but for Seattle weather, I think I'll have to have one. Any suggestions on what thickness to get? Would love to hear from the locals as to what you personally wear. Also, any good brand name suggestions? Heard O'neal was decent....

You'll need a 4/3 minimum with booties in the 5/3 range. We all still ride in the Puget Sound quite a bit in the Summer and the Sound is cold always.
My 5/3 Zealot 5/3 always pays the bill!
On a Serious note, it's absolutely stunning to ride in the Sound on a sunny day looking out at the Olympic mountains crested with snow on one side and then the emerald city on your other.
We also hit Lake Washington which in the middle of summer for your stated months here, you'll just need a 3/2 shorty and your dialed.
If we decide to hit the Washington or Oregon coast for the ultimate in downwinder joy, you'll need that trusty 5/3 again. Quite a bit of cold water riding up here but beautiful in the Summer months!

Thanks for the advice, man. You ever try to combine a wetsuite and one of those 1 or 2mm vests they sell? Not sure 2 suites are worth the ivnvestment for the time I am there, but maybe one main 3/2 and an add on vest?? Or might that be too tight on the torso?

Also where do you launch in lake Wasington? Everywhere I've been on it there's either too many people or trees or both. Would be cool to get on it, though! Ever try lake union? I got a 19m flysurfer, fyi. My 13m just got busted - need a new one. Would it be worth it getting one for the summer there or are the winds generally pretty low around puget sound? I'm 210 lb.

I'd have to agree with Busting Bladder. I'm up in Victoria, BC, and we share the same conditions.
You will want a drysuit or a 4:3 in summer and a 5:4 in winter. I think that a 3:2 with a vest would be too cold and would be a poor compromise.

I can't speak to the local Seattle spots, but the whole area is stunning. If you have the chance to come up and visit us in Victoria, BC, check out our local launch "Cook St" on a West. In the summer, Nitinaht Lake produces some of the smoothest wind in North America.

4/3 is a good call for summer time. There are a few days when some people brave the cold and ride without a suit or with just a shorty but these are crazy washington locals were talking about. If you're used to florida temps you will want a 4/3 for the summer. 5/4 if you plan on kiting in Fall-Spring time frame.

I wear a 5/4 unless I'm going to Hood River in the summer or kiting Jetty Island in Everett in Summer. For Hood and Jetty you can usually get away with a shorty in summer.

Local divers who are fully immersed for longer periods wear 7 mils and thicker or drysuits. In the summer. Ten years ago learning I spent an hour in a 5/4 suit and couldn't relaunch. Local boaters pulled me out of the water against my wishes. My wishes at that point being a result of oncoming hypothermia. If I go out alone I wear 7mm or more, just in case something goes wrong.

Hey luv2glyd, I too live in FL, and understand the need not to have a thick WS, although I do wear a 3/2 shorty or full suit from time to time.

But have a buddy that did something similar to your trip, took a couple of months off to go windsurf up in that area Oregon/Washington, and I know he picked up a really decent 5/4 for like $50 on Craigslist, the guy that sold it to him, said that he'd give it to him that cheap, as long as he promised to do the same, paying it forward thing.

I think he actually gave it away, to someone else in need. So check CL.

chemosavi wrote:Local divers who are fully immersed for longer periods wear 7 mils and thicker or drysuits. In the summer. Ten years ago learning I spent an hour in a 5/4 suit and couldn't relaunch. Local boaters pulled me out of the water against my wishes. My wishes at that point being a result of oncoming hypothermia. If I go out alone I wear 7mm or more, just in case something goes wrong.

I've never met anyone who kited around here in a 7mm suit. Not even in winter. The OP is talking about summer months. For summer you will be sweating in a 5/4 and need to sit in the water occasionally to cool off. a 4/3 is the thickest I would go for a summer specific suit. A lot of locals rock a 4/3 year round with some good gloves a base layer and a hood for the winter months.